Rohtak: The Haryana police officer heading the probe into the sexual exploitation and physical and mental torture of inmates at the Apna Ghar shelter home here has been arrested for destruction of evidence, police said on Friday.

Sub-inspector Bhim Singh Ranga, who retired last month, was arrested by a special investigation team (SIT) of the Haryana police, said Additional Director General of Police (law and order) and SIT chief M.S. Mann.

The special team was constituted by Director General of Police (DGP) Ranjiv Singh Dalal last month to probe the involvement of certain police officials from Rohtak district in the illegal activities at the shelter home.

Ranga was made investigating officer of the case May this year after the Apna Ghar scandal was revealed by a team of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) May 9. Over 100 inmates, including children, girls and women, were rescued from the home after a raid. So far, seven people have been arrested; including the shelter home in-charge Jaswanti, her daughter Sushma alias Simmi, son-in-law Jai Bhagwan and four others.

The accused have been booked for rape, molestation, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and immoral trafficking. Rohtak town is 70 km from national capital New Delhi. The Apna Ghar shelter home, which was being run by an NGO Bharat Vikas Sangh for several years, has been sealed by the state government.